INDIANAPOLIS -- In spite of statewide cuts to education, the Pike Township School District continues to pay for a school board perk that many districts do not offer.

The district is paying $77,000 a year for health and dental insurance for school board members, employees who work part-time for the district and often have other jobs, 6News' Kara Kenney reported.

Records showed that teachers pay $4,787.76 for the "Employee+One" Anthem plan each year and $6,246.96 for the family plan. School board members pay less than teachers -- $3,588.72 for the Employee+One plan and $4,550.40 for the family plan.

Less than 25 percent of districts statewide pay for insurance for board members, according to figures from 2008.

The Indiana Department of Education checklist for trimming costs lists "reduce all fringe benefit packages of school board members" as a way to cut money without affecting the classroom.

"I'm disappointed and a little bit shocked," said Teresa Meredit, vice president of the Indiana State Teachers Association. "For them to receive that kind of a benefit even greater than what a teacher gets just seems unfathomable to me when you look at the time a teacher commits to the school system beyond the contract. Teachers pour in hours and hours, plus many of their own dollars."

"I think it's an outrage," said Paul Ogden, a long-time Pike Township resident and former school board candidate. "$75,000 is nothing to sneeze at. You're talking the salary of two full-time teachers ... it is significant. Those kind of things add up."

6News attempted to contact the superintendent, chief financial officer and board members, but none were willing or able to be interviewed. District officials didn't return calls or e-mails on Thursday, but board member Nancy Poore wrote an e-mail to Kenney.

"A typical member spends hundreds of hours on behalf of local education each year. I consider it a great honor to do this work, but it is not an 'honorary' seat. Beyond monthly meetings, most members serve on substantive committees that meet numerous times each year. Board members often have a history of engagement as district boosters and volunteers," Poore said in the e-mail. "My colleagues across Indiana dedicate personal time to be present and show support for education at countless district events, ranging from graduations to annual elementary literacy days. We also read and study educational issues at the state and national level and attend professional conferences to improve our insight and leadership. I subscribe to several education journals, at my own expense."

Meredith said she doesn't doubt that board members work hard. Many of them work for as little as $2,000 a year. But she thinks that as public servants, board members should look for other ways to get insurance without affecting the classroom and taxpayers.

"(How about) making a requirement that as a board member, if you have insurance from somewhere else, you need to take that first?" she said.